title: Ethanol concentrations in antemortem blood samples under controlled conditions.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The change of antemortem blood alcohol concentration (BAC) in inadequately processed samples was examined.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was performed on nine healthy, sober volunteers after overnight fasting. Blood samples were divided into groups and stored, with or without NaF, for varying time periods (12, 24 and 48 h) and at different temperatures (4 degrees C and 20 degrees C). BAC analysis was performed by the gas-chromatography method.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All groups showed very low values of BAC.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Surprisingly, this study showed no ethanol production in improperly processed antemortem blood samples in healthy and sober individuals who were subjected to overnight fasting.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Forensic Medicine, Clinical Centre of Vojvodina, Hajduk Veljkova 5-7, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia. pstojan@eunet.yu
authors.forename: Stojan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Petković
authors.forename: Slobodan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Savić
authors.forename: Dragana
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Zgonjanin
authors.forename: Isidora
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Samojlik
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003933:Diagnosis; D000431:Ethanol / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011180:Postmortem Changes; D013048:Specimen Handling / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D013696:Temperature
chemical_list: D000431:Ethanol